


The Kings of the South House

by hydrangeyang



Category: NCT (Band), WAYV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys Kissing, Commoner Hendery, Eventual Romance, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Long Shot, Love, M/M, POV Third Person, Rich Lucas, Romance, Roommates, fast forward
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:34:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27856845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hydrangeyang/pseuds/hydrangeyang
Summary: Two new kids, sharing the same surname, entered the boarding school for exactly different reasons.
Relationships: Wong Kun Hang | Hendery/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas
Comments: 5
Kudos: 27





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first published AU after years, so please be kind ^^ thank you!

Lucas Wong never thought that this day would come. Him, Mom and Dad, all in the same cabin in their private Boeing 737 to Beijing in total silence. Besides his Dad, sitting right in front of him, was a glass of champagne from an unknown date, untouched from the tension dominating the air. Her Mom hugged her beige-colored Chloe, also nervously.

A week ago, the three received news that Lucas had been expelled from his Uni in California after a semester of being MIA. Mom fainted, Dad lost his temper and almost pushed Lucas from his room’s balcony.

But all that is over. They have decided to enroll Lucas in a less-prestigious (but still one of the best in Mainland China) boarding school nearer to their home in The Peak, Hong Kong. The purposes include putting Lucas closer to the reality people out of the 1% circle have to go through everyday and closer to his Dad’s radar of control. Although, Lucas is pretty sure, that won’t work. Dad would still be travelling abroad timelessly.

Lucas could not sleep, imagining to be placed in yet another boarding school where he knows nobody. Waking up everyday early in the morning, being commanded to do this and that and this. Unlike the other rich kids in Hong Kong, Lucas has to go through all that.

***  
In a nearby commercial flight, seat 21C, Hendery Wong looked out to the sky and smiled. He is finally free. Free from all the bullshit he had to go through in his old school, from the bullying to all the confusions he had to battle against. The unfair treatments he had to receive from his parents just because he is the middle child. The failures, the blames, the toxic environment, the constant fight with his own confusion about… a certain matter.

He does not see his opportunity to study in Norienna College as a burden, a deprivation of his freedom—he sees it as freedom itself. He changed the song playing from his phone to something happier, funkier: NCT U – 90s Love. He does not care what the singers were saying; he can’t speak korean at all. But that does not matter, as long as the song makes him feel happy.

Seriously, imagine being THAT free. Studying his favorite subject without having to worry about domestic responsibilities like houseworks and helping his parents in the family-owned bakery shop just downstairs. Not having to sacrifice his teenhood, where he should be hanging out wherever he likes with whoever he likes, just to obey his strict parents that keep on telling him that he would “waste his youth” and having fun would only make him regret his decisions in the future.

He head-danced to the song, having all that in mind.

He was flying economy, but he could sense the luxury in every single thing he touches, thanks to the excitement and joy.

***  
Two flights, approaching Beijing’s airport, bringing two human beings destined to change each other’s lives.

***

Lucas saw from the window of his Audi the view of Beijing. To some, it may not be that different compared to Hong Kong, but Lucas could sense the lack of magic, the lack of joy, the lack of… class? He wasn’t sure. Maybe it was all just his grief and refusal, not wanting to leave the city where he feels the happiest.

In his previous uni, he was known to be the biggest, most notorious brawler with a concerning academic career. But trust me—he couldn’t even dare to stare his dad in the eyes. He had done more than enough to give his dad one legitimate reason to kick him out of their house in The Peak, not to mention that the initial reason his parents enrolled him there was so that he would be more than prepared to inherit his parent’s lifestyle company.

Lucas hated the idea of going to yet another boarding school. But that is the least he could do.

***  
Hendery walked through the pick-up point in the airport where people formed an ordered crowd where they’re waiting for their person-to-pick-up appears from the automatic gate. He did not need to look for anyone from that crowd- he is taking a taxi to go to his new uni. 

But of course, this is the life of Hendery Wong. A familiar face from that crowd called him.

“Aunt May?”

“Your Dad told me to pick you up, but I forgot to brief you about it,” the middle-aged woman explained as she offered to bring his suitcases for him. “Have you eaten? Should we look for something to eat before we get there?”

Hendery put on the fakest smile he could ever make and nodded. He was hiding the fact that he was surprised and disappointed, all at the same time. Of course he forgot that Aunt May, his father’s sister, lives in Beijing. Of course his father would command her to look after him during his days, years in Beijing.

Of course he will never be 100% free.

***  
From the school’s gate/lobby, nothing feels like Beijing already. The lobby resembles school buildings from 19th century London; cold with combinations of ocre-toned brick after brick. The only thing that reminds visitors of the current timestamp they are in are two things: the cars parked in the lobby and the automatic glass door, opening and closing itself for the guests. When visitors look up, they will see above the third floor of the main building, a giant white-toned analog clock showing the time under a triangular roof.

May Tsai’s Toyota might be the only moderate-priced car in that lobby that afternoon. The lobby was full of luxury cars; mainly Audi and Jaguar, for God-knows-why. It was homecoming day; new students were collected in the school building for a brief concerning the boarding houses’ rules and to get their uniforms fitted before they are exclusively tailored by hand. Hendery is lucky; his scholarship includes the uniforms and living costs too.

Hendery is the only new student that autumn. In the school’s main field (which, again, does not feel like Beijing at all with the width of grass he could step on, and the victorian-styled school buildings surrounding it), his queue was separated from the others. He was gathered with other students for matters regarding books and abadges for their uniform.

The others were seen chit-chatting waiting for their turn to receive their books and room allocation for the new academic year. Everyone knew each other, and Hendery felt excluded. He felt like he was not somewhere he belonged.

His thoughts went deep into observing the crowd ahead and beside him, until a tap on his left shoulder shattered his thoughts.

“You know no one too?” a voice greeted him once he turned his stare around. 

For a second, Hendery thought he was not in Norienna College, queuing for some stupid book and uniform. He fell deep into the man's stare as their eyes meet. Their faces were so close Hendery felt like they were exchanging breath. 

The man's eyes, brows, lips and nose. 

Hendery felt something he thought he would never feel anymore.


	2. Evening One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a second chapter. Thank you for your kudos and comments, they are much appreciated! Let's become friends (since I'm new here)!

Two hours since that tap on his shoulder, and now they’re roommates.

Lucas Wong was indeed peculiar. When the other students decided to come back to their beloved dorms in semi-formal outfits, he chose to wear his expensive-looking jacket, ripped jeans, and boots, like he is going to a rock concert or something. One thing Hendery could sense was this sort of…class. His suitcases were all LV, and his backpack too.

He is like the rest, Hendery concluded. He concluded that he is the lonewolf of his batch, the only person who entered this all-boys school not through their parents’ wealth, but rather from this random scholarship the school suddenly offers to him through a science competition.

Oh, one thing about this afternoon: Hendery loves his new uniform. It is the regular shirt, blouse and suit like the uniforms you see in Asian dramas, but in this school, everything is white but the black tie and sky-blue shirt. And the blouse- they’re short. They only cover up until the knees. And they gotta wear that everyday, except for P.E.

“I hate the uniform with all my heart,” Lucas Wong laid down on his bed on the right side. The medium-sized room consists of two beds separated with a small table, with a large window facing the main school field right above it. Their beds are accompanied with dressers and study desks on both sides. According to the teacher who showed the two new students around earlier that day, the room resembles the rooms in Stanford’s dorms.

“Why?”

“Don’t you think it’s too much? All white? Why can’t we have something normal? And the pants, they’re short! It’s disappointingly ugly.”

Hendery thought that maybe it’s because he has 0 understanding about fashion. His old school has no suit as their uniform, just the regular school uniform with buttoned shirt and plaid pants.

The two fell into long silence before a knock on their door.

“Let me open the door,” Hendery offered. As he opened, a middle-aged man stood in front of him, looking neat with his formal fit. He looks more like a butler than a vice-head-of-dormitory.

“I am sorry to disturb you. I am just trying to check on you guys,” Mr. Ah stepped in to take a closer look at how room 1G looks like after its residents entered and unpacked. Still looks tidy, just like how new students usually enter every other room for the first time.

“I am sorry that I could not find an old student to be your roommates. My colleagues insist that the two of you should be in the same room, God knows why. It’s the head-of-dorm’s discretion.”

“That’s totally fine, Sir.” Hendery said. Behind him, as Mr. Ah saw, was the uninterested Lucas Wong laying down, eyes and hands on his phone. His attire was still as complete as he first arrived in the university lobby, and even his socks were still on. He acted like Mr. Ah was not there with them.

Hendery and Mr. Ah looked at Lucas’s direction. This guy is unbelievable, Hendery thought as he looked at Lucas with a tired stare. 

“With that being said, I will leave you two here. See you this supper!” Mr. Ah backed off and waved.

Hendery closed the door and walked back to his bed. “What is your problem? The vice head of the dorm was here with us! Show some respect!”

Lucas rose and sat on his bed. “What do you mean? Why are you mad all of a sudden?”

Hendery’s jaw dropped. He suddenly realizes that this man, Lucas-whoever, needs some of his manner lessons to be reviewed for him. “An older person who you should pay respect to showed up just to check up on us. You should have sat and put your phone away, paid attention to what he was about to say.”

“Whose rule is that?” Lucas laid back, eyes on his phone screen.

What?

“It’s no one’s rule, it’s called manners!” Hendery snapped, as he should have not. He tried to re-contain himself as he regretted the tone that came out of his mouth.

Lucas, shocked by the tone, rose to sit… on Hendery’s bed. He stared right into Hendery’s eyes, so close the poor man almost fainted. 

“Why did you snap at me?” Lucas asked, his stare got even closer. The intimidation and tension was inevitable for Hendery. 

“I...I was just mad! I have never seen someone being so disrespectful like that before. N-never!” Hendery clarified as he tried to avoid Lucas’s stare and backed off.

Poor Hendery. Lucas moved closer to him, even closer than before, and the right-into-the-eyes stare was back.

“So I did something wrong?”

Lucas’s question was like asking if water is wet, but Hendery could not help but answer “yes” as the reds on his cheeks became deeper.

“Okay. I will not repeat it again then.” Lucas stood up and went back to his own bed.  
Hendery struggled to regain control over his own feelings, his own self. That, as his heartbeat became 36 times faster, his cheeks became more red, and his eyes widened automatically. What was that? 

As he started regaining mental consciousness, he shot a question to Lucas. “Do you always talk to your friends like that?”

“What friends? Talk like what?” Lucas asked back. And that’s when Hendery knew to just give up.

***  
Being around Lucas Wong made Hendery feel like the evening that day came too long. 

Being around Lucas Wong made him feel like he just found a new time capsule owned by a stranger he never knew, calling for him to keep on exploring its contents and finding new surprises, after surprises, after surprises.

Hendery grabbed two points from knowing Lucas Wong. First, the man is fine as hell. He would pass as a model anytime. Second, there is a huge chance he came from the 1% circle, looking at how he is dressed and his own upbringing. Third, for a person who comes from such an upbringing, he knows how to take care after his belongings. Lucas was quite a neat person, but not as neat as him, of course.

The two laid down in silence for what Hendery felt like eternity, and only talked for some seconds every two hours. 

“What do you think the supper would be like?” Lucas started a conversation, third in three hours. An achievement.

“I don’t know. I have absolutely no idea what the rich eat for dinner.” Hendery answered, indifferently. He was more focused upon the novel he brought from home; an English copy of Khaled Hosseini’s “And The Mountains Echoed”. 

“So… you’re a commoner?” Lucas asked in hesitation, trying to make his tone sound as sensitive as possible. “How did you get here?”

“Scholarships. A physics comp. I wanted to move so bad, so why don’t give it a shot? And I won gold.” Hendery answered, still indifferently, as he turned yet another page.  
“Oh… so you’re smart?”

“You can put it that way.” Hendery, still in a lay-down position, put his book down and looked at the neighboring bed, just to see Lucas in a sitting position, cross legged, facing him, with his right hand on his chin. He stared at Hendery in fascination. Hendery was a bit surprised. “Why?”

Lucas explained gleefully. His smile emerged. “Maybe that’s why. Maybe that’s why the head-of-dorm wants us together instead of putting us with older students. They know your capabilities and want you to help me study. You’re in mechanical engineering too, right?”

“Uhmm yes. But are you sure? Teaching people is not that easy.”

Lucas, with his wide smile still up, denied. “Yes! I am sure this is destiny. I came here so that a physics champion would help me get through. How cool is that? Anyways, are you good at sports?”

“N..o.” Hendery answered.

“Excellent! I will help you with that!” Lucas could not help his excitement. “See? We’re destined to be each other’s roommates to be able to get through all this… together!”

Destiny. It’s been too long since Hendery last talked about that topic with someone else. The last time was with his ex, a senior in highschool, years ago. It was a normal conversation, as the two were deeply in love and (were) in a healthy relationship.

But this time, it’s different. They barely knew each other. They only became roommates several hours ago. What does destiny supposed to mean in such a foreign friendship?

Friendship? Is it really one? Then what is the correct explanation to Hendery’s irregular heartbeats every time he sees Lucas’s beautiful eyes, and the man’s gleeful smile?

Friendship? Is it really what Hendery wants?

Hendery tried to delete the daydream from his mind. Lucas was only talking about how they were destined to help each other...why did he suddenly think as if the two are destined for each other for anything else?


End file.
